Toy



N. A. GREENE May 8, 1962 TOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filei March 29, 1960 INVENTOR NORM/IN A GREENE ATTORNEYS y 1962 N. A. GREENE 3,032,921

TOY

Filed March 29, 1960 2 Sheeis-She'et 2 0 "\X 4 M Q3? 52 0 30 INVENTOR Norman A. Greene,

ATTORNEYS Uit Stts This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to a figure toy which is mounted on a compressible base for action.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an amusing figure toy or puppet which may be changed abruptly from one appearance to another, for example from a look of somnolent repose to a startled awakening. More specifically, in its preferred form the neck lengths drastically, the jaw drops, the eyes open widely, the head jerks to one side and back again, the normally limp ears fly outward, and an appropriate sound such as a squeal is produced. Of course, less than all of the above listed changes may be used, and in any desired combination.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the compressible base and figure toy elements, and their relation one to another, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a toy simulating a poodle dog in a state of repose;

FIG. 2 shows the toy when the base is compressed;

FIG. 3 is a section through the toy, with the bellows expanded as in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a similar section showing the relation of the parts when the bellows is compressed as in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken in the plane of the line 5--5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is explanatory of a detail of the cam slot which rotates the head;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section showing the eyes in plan; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view showing a modification in which the sound producing element is located in the neck.

Referring to the drawing, more particularly to FIG. 1, the toy comprises a compressible base 12, which preferably is a generally cylindrical bellows. A figure toy body 14 is mounted on the base 12 and it carries a head 16 with an elongated but normally concealed neck. The neck is substantially uniform in cross-section, as will be seen at 20 in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the neck is slidably received in theupper part of the body, in this case in a collar 22.

FIG. 2 shows the action of the toy when the base 12 is compressed. This is most conveniently done by grasping the body 14 of the toy and pushing it downward against the base 12 while the latter rests on a table or equivalent surface. The head 16 seems to rise from the body with simulated elongation of the neck 20. The normally closed jaw 24 drops widely open. The eyes change from the closed condition shown at 26 in FIG. 1 to the wide open condition shown at 28 in FIG. 2. The head turns abruptly to one side and back again, as is indicated by the arrows, and at the same time the ears 30 momentarily fly out from the limphanging position shown in FIG. 1 to the raised position shown in FIG. 2.

3,032,921 Patented May 8, 1962 The mechanism for this purpose is exceedingly simple, and may be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawing. Referring first to FIG. 3, there is a strut or link 32 extending from the bottom 34 of the bellows 12 to the neck 20. These parts may be coupled in desired fashion, and in the present case, the link 32 has collars 31 at its upper end and collar 33 at its lower end to interconnect the parts without preventing relative rotation thereof. Structurally it is much as though the neck 20 were lengthened to reach the bottom of the bellows.

It will be evident from comparison of FIGS. 3 and 4 that compression of the bellows 12 causes the link 32 to simulatedly push the neck 20 upward out of the body 14. In truth it is the body 14 which has been depressed relative to the neck (when working against a table, for the toy also may be operated by holding the figure in one hand and pushing the bottom of the bellows upward with the other hand).

Reverting to FIG. 3, the jaw 24 is normally held closed or nearly closed because the bottom surface of the jaw rests against the top of the collar 22. However, when the bellows is compressed as shown in FIG. 4, the collar 22 moves down away from the head, thus permitting the jaw 24 to drop widely open as shown. If desired, the opening movement of the jaw may be limited by a part of the neck marked 36. This is the lower end of a slot 37 through which a support part 25 of the jaw passes into the head. In practice the slot may be about as wide as the neck, that is, the whole front half of the neck is cut away.

The action of the eyes may be coupled to that of the jaw, and in the present case, referring to FIG. 3, the eyes 40 are supported behind eye openings 42 by a support 44 which is pivoted at the back of the head as shown at 46. The support 44 rests on a lever 48 extending back of the pivot 50 on which the jaw 24, 25 is mounted. The manner in which the lever 48 underlies the eye support 44 will be clear from inspection of the drawing including FIG. 8.

Comparison of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 shows how the drop-.

ping of the jaw 24 raises the eyes 40 from closed to open position. As is known in the toy art, these eyes may be provided with simulated latches 52, and the latter move from the bottom edge of the eye openings as shown in FIG. 3, toward the top of the same as shown in FIG. 4.

To produce the turning action .of the head the neck 20 is preferably made cylindrical, and it is provided with a cam groove 54. The collar 22 includes a projection or finger 56 which is received in the cam groove 54. The collar is non-rotatable, and consequently the stationary finger 56 causes rotation of the neck and head. For this purpose the cam groove could be spiral, with the head turned in only one direction. However, I prefer to give the cam groove a reverse curve as shown at 54 in FIG. 6, so that the head jerks to one side and back to forward position as the body descends, this being apporpriate to the startled look of the puppet. However, a double or elliptical groove may be provided (that is, groove 54 and its image folded over to the left as viewed in FIG. 6), so that the head turns to the opposite side and back on the return movement of the body.

The cars 30 are preferably made of a flexible material such as rubber or vinyl, so that they hang lirnply from the sides of the head 16. The shape of the ears is such that most of their mass is at their lower ends. When the head is turned abruptly, the ears fly out by centrifugal force, and so rise from the limp or dropped position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, and continue to vibrate because of their elasticity. It will be understood that the ears need not be made of limp material, and instead may be rigid but freely pivoted to the side of the head to permit the desired movement.

The startled awakening of the poodle is preferably accompanied by a sound or squeal, simulating fright. This is produced by an appropriate sound producing means, one inexpensive and commonly available form of which consists of a reed 60 (FIG. 3) overlying a trough-shaped holder 62. The fixed end 64 of this unit is secured in the body 14 at the back, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. It will be understood that compression of the bellows causes passage of air through the sound producing device, with accompanying sound.

. If desired the sound producing device may be mounted in the neck, and a modified form of the invention with such a mounting is illustrated in FIG. 8 of the drawing. Referring to FIG. 8, the neck 71 may be the same as that previously described except for the provision of a supporting partition or wall 72 in which the sound producing element 74 is secured. The side wall of the neck is provided with one or more openings such as that indicated at 78. On compression of the bellows, air fiows freely into the neck and through the sound producing element. The air then freely escapes through the neck, mouth and eye openings.

In FIG. 8 the cam slot is shown at 82, and it may be reversely curved as previously described, for a quick, turning movement or jerk of the head to one side and back.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are applicable to either form of the invention. In both forms the cam slot (54 or 82) preferably does not pass wholly through the wall of the neck, that is, it is a channel or groove, rather than a cut-through slot. This prevents undesired escape of air when the bellows is pressed, that is, escape without passage of the air through the sound producing element. However it will be understood that if the toy is made without the sound producing element, the cam slot may pass entirely through the neck.

The bellows 12 is preferably made of polyethylene, or a plastics material having the characteristics of polyethylene. It may be made inexpensively by blow-molding techniques which have already been developed for bellows used for other purposes. It includes a neck 11. The body 14 is preferably molded out of a rigid plastics molding material. It is molded in two halves which are cemented together in edge-to-edge relation by use of a suitable solvent or cement, and the edges may be provided with the usual locating pins or dowels, and mating holes to receive the same, these being formed as a part of the molding operation.

It is convenient to mold the collar 22 separately, and this may be added to the body 1 by means of a solvent or cement. The head and neck are integral, except for the jaw 24 and the eyes at and the head and neck, like the body, may be molded in two halves with a dividing plane extending through the axis of the neck in a fore and aft direction. The two pieces are secured in edge-toedge relation by means of a cement or adhesive, and the eye and jaw trunnions may be put in position in their bearings as the two halves of the head are brought together, all in accordance with well-established practice in the toy industry.

The cam slot preferably is extended downward to the bottom of the neck as shown at 55 in FIG. 6, to facilitate assembly of the head and body.

The link 32 may be secured to the neck when cementing the two halves of the head together, this being put in place at the same time that the jaws and eyes are put in place. The lower end of the link 32 passes through a hole in the bottom of the bellows. It could be expanded or riveted as shown at 84, as by the application of heat and pressure if the link 32 is made of a thermoplastic material.- However, it is preferably molded in the shape shown, and simply forced through the bottom hole, which is somewhat elastic.

The figure body is assembled to the bellows 12 by forcing it around the neck 11 of the bellows, and the latter preferably has a ridge or bead 13 which anchors the body on the neck 11. The neck 11 may be made much larger in diameter than shown, and may have a diameter nearly as large as the bottom of the figure.

It is believed that the construction, method of assembly, and operation of my improved toy, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detail description. Although the puppet or figure here simulates a somewhat comical poodle dog, it will be understood that the figure or character simulated by the toy may vary widely, while still retaining the same operating principle. It will therefore be apparent that while I have shown and described the invention in several preferred forms, changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as sought to be defined in the following claims. In the claims the term bellows is not intended to exclude other forms of yieldable or compressible base which result in the same action.

I claim:

1. A toy comprising a downwardly compressible bellows base, a figure toy body mounted on said base, a head having an elongated neck slidably received in the upper part of said body, and a stiff link extending from the bottom of the bellows to the neck, whereby on downward compression of the bellows the link causes simulated elongation of the neck.

2. A toy comprising a downwardly compressible bellows base, a figure toy body mounted on said base, a head having an elongated neck slidably received in the upper part of said body, and a stiff link extending from the bottom of the bellows to the neck, whereby on downward compression of the bellows the link causes simulated elongation of the neck, said head having a freely pivoted jaw which is supported by the body in its upper position, whereby the jaw drops when the bellows is compressed and the body is in its lower position.

3. A toy comprising a downwardly compressible bellows base, a figure toy body mounted on said base, a head having an elongated neck slidably received in the upper part of said body, and a stiff link extending from the bottom of the bellows to the neck, whereby on downward compression of the bellows the link causes simulated elongation of the neck, said head having a freely pivoted jaw which is supported by the body in its upper position, whereby the jaw drops when the bellows is compressed, said head having movable eyes supported behind eye openings, and linkage between said jaw and said movable eyes whereby said eyes are moved when the bellows is compressed.

4. A toy comprising a compressible bellows base, a figure toy body mounted on said base, a head having an elongated neck slidably received in the upper part of said body, a link extending from the bottom of the bellows to the neck, whereby compression of the bellows causes simulated elongation of the neck, said neck having a helical cam groove and said body having a lug received in said groove, whereby the head is rotated sideward when the bellows is compressed.

5. A toy comprising a compressible bellows base, a figure toy body mounted on said base, a head having an elongated neck slidably received in the upper part of said body, a link extending from the bottom of the bellows to the neck, whereby'compression of the bellows causes simulated elongation of the neck, said neck having a helical cam groove and said body having a lug received in said groove, whereby the head is rotated sideward when the bellows is compressed, said head having loosely depending, relatively long ears, whereby the ears fly out by centrifugal force when the head is rotated by compression of the bellows.

6. A toy comprising a downwardly compressible bellows base, a figure toy-body mounted on said base, a head having an elongated neck slidably received in the upper part of said body, a stiff link extending from the bottom of the bellows to the neck, whereby on downward compression of the bellows the link causes simulated elongation of the neck, and a sound producing means through which air passes when the bellows is compressed so that the toy action is accompanied by sound.

7. A toy comprising a compressible bellows base, a figure toy body mounted on said base, a head having an elongated neck slidably received in the upper part of said body, a link extending from the bottom of the bellows to the neck, whereby compression of the bellows causes simulated elongation of the neck, said neck having a helical cam groove and said body having a lug received in said groove, whereby the head is rotated sideward when the bellows is compressed, said head having loosely depending, relatively long ears, whereby the ears fly out by centrifugal force when the head is rotated by compression of the bellows, and a sound producing means through which air passes when the bellows is compressed so that the toy action is accompanied by sound.

8. A toy comprising a compressible bellows base, a figure toy body mounted on said base, a head having an elongated neck slidably received in the upper part of said body, a link extending from the bottom of the bellows to the neck, whereby compression of the bellows causes simulated elongation of the neck, said head having a freely pivoted jaw which is supported by the body in its upper position, whereby the jaw drops when the bellows is compressed, said neck having a reverse'helical cam groove and said body having a lug received in said groove, whereby the head is rotated sideward and back when the bellows is compressed.

9. A toy comprising a compressible bellows base, a figure toy body mounted on said base, a head having an elongated neck slidably received in the upper part of said body, a link extending from the bottom of the bellows to the neck, whereby compression of the bellows causes simulated elongation of the neck, said head having a freely pivoted jaw which is supported by the body in its upper position, whereby the jaw drops when the bellows is compressed, said neck having a reverse helical cam groove and said body having a lug received in said groove, whereby the head is rotated sideward and back when the bellows is compressed, said head having loosely depending, relatively long ears, whereby the ears fly out by centrifugal force when the head is rotated by compression of the bellows.

10. A toy comprising a downwardly compressible bellows base, a figure toy body mounted on said base, a head having an elongated neck slidably received in the upper part of said body, a stiff link extending from the bottom of the bellows to the neck, whereby on downward compression of the bellows the link causes simulated elongation of the neck, said head having a freely pivoted jaw which is supported by the body in its upper position, whereby the jaw drops when the bellows is compressed, and a sound producing means through which air passes when the bellows is compressed so that the toy action is accompanied by sound.

11. A toy comprising a compressible bellows base, a figure toy body mounted on said base, a head having an elongated neck slidably received in the upper part of said body, a link extending from the bottom of the bellows to the neck, whereby compression of the bellows causes simulated elongation of the neck, said head having a freely pivoted jaw which is supported by the body in its upper position, whereby the jaw drops when the bellows is compressed, said neck having a reverse helical cam groove and said body having a lug received in said groove, whereby the head is rotated sideward and back when the bellows is compressed, said head having loosely depending, relatively long ears, whereby the ears fly out .by centrifugal force when the head is rotated by compression of the bellows, and a sound producing means through which air passes when the bellows is compressed so that the toy action is accompanied by sound.

12. A toy comprising a compressible bellows base, a figure toy body mounted on said base, a head having an elongated neck slidably received in the upper part of said body, a link extending from the bottom of the bellows of the neck, whereby compression of the bellows causes simulated elongation of the neck, said head having a freely pivoted jaw which is supported by the body in its upper position, whereby the jaw drops when the bellows is compressed, said head having movable eyes supported behind eye openings, and linkage between said jaw and eyes whereby said eyes simulatively change from closed to open condition when the bellows is compressed, said neck having a reverse helical cam groove and said body having a lug received in said groove, 'Whereby the head is rotated sideward and back when the bellows is compressed.

13. A toy comprising a compressible bellows base, a figure toy body mounted on said base, a head having an elongated neck slidably received in the upper part of said body, a link extending from the bottom of the bellows to the neck, whereby compression of the bellows causes simulated elongation of the neck, said head having a freely pivoted jaw which is supported by the body in its upper position, whereby the jaw drops when the bellows is compressed, said head having movable eyes supported behind eye openings, and linkage between said jaw and eyes whereby said eyes simulatively change from closed to open condition when the bellows is compressed, said neck having a reverse helical cam groove and said body having a lug received in said groove, whereby the head is rotated sideward and back when the bellows is compressed, said head having loosely depending, relatively long ears, whereby the ears fly out by centrifgal force when the head is rotated by compression of the bellows.

14. A toy comprising a downwardly compressible bellows base, a figure toy body mounted on said base, a head having an elongated neck slidably received in the upper part of said body, a stiff link extending from the bottom of the bellows to the neck, whereby on downward compression of the bellows the link causes simulated elongation of the neck, said head having a freely pivoted jaw which is supported by the body in its upper position, whereby the jaw drops when the bellows is compressed, said head having movable eyes supported behind eye openings, and linkage between said jaw and eyes whereby said eyes simulatively change from closed to open condition when the bellows is compressed, and a sound producing means through which air passes when the bellows 'is compressed so that the toy action is accompanied by sound.

15. A toy comprising a compressible bellows base, a figure toy body mounted on said base, a head having an elongated neck slidably received in the upper part of said body, a link extending from the bottom of the bellows to the neck, whereby compression of the bellows causes simulated elongation of the neck, said head having a freely pivoted jaw which is supported by the body in its upper position, whereby the jaw drops when the bellows is compressed, said head having movable eyes supported behind eye openings, and linkage between said jaw and eyes whereby said eyes simulatively change from closed to open condition when the bellows is compressed, said neck having a reverse helical cam groove and said body having a lug received in said groove, whereby the head is rotated sideward and back when the bellows is compressed, said head having loosely depending, relatively long ears, whereby the ears fly out by centrifugal force when the head is rotated by compression of the bellows, and a sound producing means through which air passes when the bellows is compressed so that the toy action is accompanied by sound.

16. A toy comprising a downwardlycompressible bellows base, a figure toy body mounted on said base, a head having an elongatedneckof-substantially uniform cross-section slidably received-in the upper part of said body, and astifi link extending from the bottom of the bellows to the neck, whereby on downward compression of the bellows the link causes simulated elongation of the neck, said head having movable eyes supported behind eye openings, and linkage whereby said eyes are moved when the bellows is compressed.

-References Qite'd in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Garanu' Dec. 23, Marsh 2 Nov. 22, Kester Aug. 27, Greene Sept. 30,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain May 5, 

